Guisborough Town 0-4 Atherton Collieries (Emirates FA Cup First Round Qualifying)

Match Report

On the face of it, a 0-4 reverse at home looks like a pretty comprehensive defeat!

However, when you analyse several factors more closely, instead of commiserating with our battling Priorymen they deserve to be congratulated for getting so far in this season’s FA Cup competition.

It was another injury-weakened and weary-looking Guisborough Town – playing their 10th game in little over a month – who saw their memorable giant-killing FA Cup run come to a disappointing end at the KGV on Saturday. Once again, however, Guisborough carved out enough chances to maybe have pulled off another cup shock but they were not clinical in front of goal.

Atherton Collieries, a Northern Premier League side who play fully two steps above the Priorymen, showed just too much ‘nouse and know-how’ and eventually ran out winners with a flattering 4-0 scoreline. Once again, Guisborough were severely hampered by injuries to key players – and even several of those who played or came off the bench were still licking their various wounds.

Talisman striker Cole Kiernan was a prime example of that, coming on in the second half despite still nursing a troublesome shoulder problem. Key defender Tommy Marron is still absent with a recurrence of a serious knee injury while combative midfielder Joe Pickett and flying winger Jack Blackford are still on the sidelines.

Take all of that into account and you can’t fail to have sympathy with the depleted Priorymen and their Manager and Assistant Manager, Steve Bell and Paul Crager, who have had a nightmare trying to put out a decent side in recent weeks. And so, understandably, Guisborough still looked a bit leggy from the kick-off and sadly by the midway point of the first half Atherton had taken a 2-0 lead with two clinical attacks and finishes by Rio Pemberton (6 mins) and Lewis Mansell (23 mins).

Despite that early Atherton goal, which was followed up with a second 17 minutes later, Guisborough hit back strongly and actually proceeded to dominate most of the first half.

DECENT EFFORTS

They were desperately unlucky not to pull a goal back especially when a Kurt Howes header hit the bar on 15 minutes. More decent Guisborough efforts came both before the Howes header and afterwards. Howes again, defender James Frazer, midfielder Lewis Green and strikers Ty O’Neill and Eddie Thomas all went close with decent efforts on the Atherton goal but alas to no avail. At the other end Guisborough goalkeeper Robert Dean prevented an almost certain goal following an Atherton breakaway.

So Guisborough went into the interval 2-0 down and you wondered if just once of their chances had gone in maybe the Priorymen could have found a way back into the game. After the interval gutsy Guisborough still kept battling away with James Frazer heading agonisingly over, Alex Nelson winning a free kick in a promising position and a free kick from skipper Callum Martin fizzing wide.

As the Priorymen tired through their determined efforts, Atherton made absolutely sure of going through to the next round with late goals from Josh Solomon Davies (90th minute) and Ben Rydel (90+5 minutes).

After the game Guisborough Manager Steve Bell commented:

Maybe the 4-0 scoreline was a little harsh on us and, seriously, I believe the Atherton team we played were there for the taking. But overall the two league levels between us showed. We huffed and puffed for most of the game and where it really matters in the opposition’s penalty areas we were poor. I told the lads a few home truths after the game but also mentioned that they should be proud of our little FA Cup run.

It’s all about the league for us now and we’re looking forward to the local derby against Redcar Athletic on Wednesday.

So as the Manager said Guisborough now need to pick themselves back up and dust themselves down as they prepare for their first big derby of the season when they entertain Redcar Athletic at the KGV Stadium next Wednesday, 6 September (KO 7.45pm).

Report: Bill Perfitt
Photos: Dan Clark